Karnataka, which tops the list of States with the highest COVID-19 vaccination cover for healthcare workers so far, has recorded an average vaccine wastage of 6% on a daily basis till now. A total of 3,14,907 healthcare workers have been vaccinated in Karnataka so far.
State health officials said this wastage is far lower than the permissible wastage of 10% for the vaccine. As this is a new vaccine, an open vial policy is not applicable. The Centre has, in its vaccination guidelines issued to States, said that all opened vials should be used within four hours. If not, the opened vials should be discarded after hours or at the end of the session, the guidelines stated.
State Deputy Director Rajani Nageshrao told The Hindu on Tuesday that the 6% wastage includes vials discarded four hours after opening and those damaged during transit and storage. “The extent of wastage changes every day. However, the daily average wastage has remained at 6% so far,” she said. “We have clearly instructed vaccination officers to mark the date and time of opening each vial. Wastage is unavoidable as all open vials have to be discarded after four hours of opening or at the end of a session.”
While 8,48,414 healthcare beneficiaries have registered for vaccination, the State has received 17,18,240 doses of the vaccines — 15,52,000 doses of Covishield and 1,66,240 doses of Covaxin. “We have worked out the allocation to districts keeping in mind the 10% permissible wastage and have sent 10% additional doses than the required number to mitigate such issues,” Dr. Rajani said.
Explaining the process, she said, “In the morning, the vaccination officers usually wait for 10 people to arrive at the sites to start the vaccination. This is to ensure a vial gets fully consumed. But, as the day progresses, all the selected beneficiaries may not turn up. But we have to vaccinate those who come and vials have to be opened and discarded after four hours,” she said.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has drawn up a formula to estimate the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses the States would need. “The ministry, in consultation with experts, has arrived at a Wastage Multiplication Factor of 1.1 for the COVID-19 vaccines. If 100 people have to be vaccinated, 111 doses are required as per this formula,” said Lokesh Alahari, sub-regional team leader, Karnataka, WHO India (National Polio Surveillance Project).
Covaxin wastage higher
Wastage is slightly higher in the case of Covaxin as each vial of this vaccine has 20 doses, unlike a Covishield vial that has 10 doses.
“For example, if not more than five beneficiaries turn up within four hours, 15 doses in a Covaxin vial are wasted. Also, with many healthcare workers still reluctant to take Covaxin, the wastage of this vaccine is higher,” a source said.
Lokesh Alahari, sub-regional team leader, Karnataka, WHO India (National Polio Surveillance Project), said the permissible wastage in most vaccines administered under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) was 10%, except in BCG, Measles-Rubella (MR), and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccines.
“About 50% wastage is allowed in BCG, given to newborns, and 25% is allowed in MR and JE vaccines as these have to be reconstituted before they are used. Reconstitution means mixing the dry powder form of a vaccine with a fluid called a diluent so that the vaccine can be injected. However, the Pentavalent vaccine can be used up to 28 days after opening, provided the expiry date has not passed and the vaccine is appropriately handled and stored,” he said.
